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One couple confronted Lottman in person last week, capturing the exchange on video

MONROE, N.C. (WBTV) - In an update to an ongoing story in Monroe, NC the owner of the Champagne Manor, a wedding venue in Monroe, has responded to WBTV’s request for comment on why the venue closed and left customers without plans or refunds.

As reported last week, we spoke to multiple couples who had weddings planned at the venue in 2025 and found out in recent weeks that the venue had been foreclosed upon and closed.

The couples were left without much communication or direction, and none of them said they had received any refunds for their expensive deposits.

Clara Vengoechea and her fiancé, Will Adams, are one of those couples. They had planned their wedding at the venue in May. They were blindsided by an email from Lottman on January 2, informing them of the foreclosure and closure. Despite a promise to issue refunds, the couple has yet to receive any of their $30,000 deposit back.

“We don’t think we’re going to get any of that money back at all,” Vengoechea said.

Following the initial report, Lottman responded with a statement explaining the situation.

He revealed that the property was financed using bridge loans during the pandemic, but the venue was never able to secure a long-term loan. Additionally, a rent increase rendered the operation unsustainable.

“The increased rent amount was not sustainable for 2025,” Lottman wrote, adding that he was working to notify affected couples and arrange refunds. The full text of his statement can be found at the bottom of this article.

WBTV reached back out to the customers with Lottman’s statement and received multiple statements in response. Many have joined a support group to share experiences and updates.

One couple set to marry in June said they only discovered the cancellation through their florist.

Another couple, with an April wedding planned, reported limited communication from Lottman, who mentioned liquidating assets to issue refunds but provided no concrete details.

You can see statements from multiple couples below.

Hoping to get answers, Vengoechea and Adams confronted Lottman in person last week, capturing the exchange on video.

In the video, the couple ask Lottman if he is refunding anyone yet. Lottman says “Yes…partially.” They ask him how he’s selecting couples to receive the funds and Lottman says back: “I don’t think there’s a way to choose.”

The couple asks if Lottman is lying. He says he is not and insists that he is working to make the situation right, adding that he may be slow to respond because he’s suffering mental health issues from the situation.

Lottman also suggests that couples could get some of their deposits back quicker by disputing charges with their banks or credit card companies, stating, “I urge you to dispute your card. We will literally accept it right away.”

Despite Lottman’s assurances, none of the couples WBTV spoke with have received refunds.

Requests for further answers and clarification for Lottman were not answered as of the writing of this article.

Jason Lottman’s statement in full:

“Nearly 4 years ago, we purchased the Manor on a short term bridge loan- due to Covid making it near impossible to find conventional financing for a wedding venue. After some extensions and other moves over the last few years, in hopes to one day find permanent long-term financing, the fund that the Manor was in was no longer allowing us to extend. Unfortunately, after exhausting all efforts, and after a very challenging 2024, we were unable to bridge the gap between our loan balance and what our approved new funding would allow. Despite a major increase in mortgage/rent from our lender, we were able to rent the property back from them at a premium to make good on our fall 2024 events, but the increased rent amount was not sustainable for 2025.

We’ve reached out to all weddings notifying them of the closure, and are working with each one of them individually to figure out how we can refund them. This is an absolutely heartbreaking time for all of us, and we plan to make things right with everyone involved as quickly as we can."

Jason Lottman, Owner - Champagne Manor

Statement from Shann Fulton. He and his Fiance Michele were set to be married at Champagne Manor on April 25th, 2025:

“My fiancé and I haven’t told our had our story covered yet. Our wedding date was supposed to be 4/25/25! After searching for weeks, we knew Champagne Manor was our dream venue. It cemented our vision. Our theme is “The Royal Wedding”! 150 guests to include family and friends were all overjoyed for us and ready to celebrate. Our Wedding party has purchased items and money was pod for hotel rooms and flights to attend. Our Bachelor and bachelorette parties were already booked. We had our wedding shower on 11/2 to lead up to our wedding. The disappointment and heartbreak has been insurmountable.

Jason Lottman is a con artist. He took a payment from us as recent as November. He made promises of cottages and a glass ballroom being built and groomsmen suite being updated and the whole time he knew these things weren’t going to happen. There must be recourse for his actions.”

Shann Fulton

Statement from Amber Wells. She and her fiancé were set to be married at the Champagne Manor on June 28th, 2025:

“I am writing to tell you our Champagne manor story, or as I now call it, our spilled champagne saga. Jeff and I signed our contract with Champagne Manor on July 4th 2024. We were so excited to have found a venue that offered literally everything we wanted for not just one day, but a whole weekend of weeding festivities. We were told we could have the manor starting on Thursday afternoon all the way through late Sunday morning. We were also told that there would be multiple cabins available on the property to accommodate many of our guests for the weekend. Since almost 100% of our guests will be coming from out of town, his was a HUGE deal to us! We were stretching our budget a little bit, but since the Manor was offering an all inclusive experience, we decided it was totally worth it. We took advantage of Jason’s offer to receive a bigger discount for a bigger deposit and wired our deposit to him that day.

Throughout the entire process of working with Jason, we were constantly receiving “pay early promos” which started to make us feel uneasy about the apparent cash-flow problem Jason must have been dealing with, but we were in for so much money already we kept telling ourselves that we were just being paranoid. Jason always had good reasons for why he wanted us to pay early ie a “final payment on the glass ballroom” or an “exciting fountain” that they had decided to add behind the alter. I got so uneasy with what was going on that I even made up an excuse to tour the manor again on December 11th, telling Jason my mom wanted to see the venue. Really, we wanted to see for ourselves what was being done, and to talk to him face to face about the fact he had not connected us with one single vendor. Even then, he was such a good liar that we left feeling at ease about everything. In fact, we felt so at ease that we even agreed to one of his “pay early” scams for December, and sent an extra payment the week of Christmas. The same week Jason handed the keys over to the bank.

Jason was supposed to connect us with our vendors that were to be booked through the manor on our behalf. The only vendor that I was connected to was the florist, who emailed me on Jan 2nd with the news of the Foreclosure on Champagne Manor. At first I thought it had to be some mistake or misinformation. To this day we still have not heard directly from Jason. All of the news we have received came from our own research and reaching out to the vendors we found who worked with the Manor ( all of whom have been incredibly helpful and empathetic to our situation) as well as a group text with some of the other couples affected.

To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. The vision that we had for our perfect weeding weekend to share our love with family and friends has been taken away. We are trying to wrap our heads around what kind of person Jason must be to knowingly ruin what is supposed to be the happiest time of our lives for not just us but so many couples. We do have faith and believe that because of our love for each other and the support from our friends and families we will still have an amazing wedding day and our happily ever after somehow.”

Amber Wells

Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.

"The kids circle around one kid and the kid in the middle has to fight for his life," one parent said.

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MONROE, N.C. — Multiple parents have come forward with allegations of child abuse at a day care center in Monroe, prompting an internal investigation and staff changes at the facility.

The allegations surround Childtime Learning Centers on North Charlotte Avenue in Monroe. Parents told WCNC Charlotte that they received calls from employees informing them of alleged abuse taking place at the childcare center. The accusations include physical harassment and inappropriate disciplinary measures against children.

"They would thump the kids on the head if they're not listening," Adelle Matthews, a parent, said. "She sprays the kids in the face with disinfectant spray. The kids know it as 'the spray bottle.'"

Alexus Brown, a parent, alleges her child faced similar mistreatment and claims the abuse was deliberately concealed.

"They were spraying his clothes making it seem like he was peeing himself, and having other children surround my child to have him fight and defend himself," Brown said.

She noted surveillance limitations at the facility, adding, "We can watch the cameras 24/7 but there's no audio and there are no cameras outside where the fighting and everything took place."

The allegations have prompted formal complaints to state authorities. Robin Horace, a parent, contacted the Division of Child Development and Early Education, requesting them to "review the facility's policies, staff training, and overall practices to determine how these incidents could have occurred and how similar occurrences can be prevented in the future."

A former employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the abuse was reported to the facility's director in November, but claimed no action was taken at that time.

The learning center has recently issued a statement to parents confirming that one staff member has been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation of the claims. The statement also indicated that other staff members allegedly involved in the incidents are no longer employed at the facility.

For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.

A couple said they were promised their deposits back, but after days of silence, they're preparing to face a loss of thousands of dollars.

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MONROE, N.C. — Dream weddings have turned into financial nightmares for multiple couples after a local wedding venue's sudden foreclosure, leaving them scrambling to salvage their plans and recover thousands in lost deposits.

Austin Hales and his fiancé are among those affected by the foreclosure of Champagne Manor, operated by Jason Lottmann. The couple lost their venue and potentially $50,000 in payments just months before their planned Memorial Day weekend ceremony.

"We haven't wanted to delay this anymore. We've been looking forward to the day for a little over a year and a half now," Hales said. "We don't really know what we're going to do right now with the cancellation."

Hales said initial promises of refunds have gone unfulfilled.

"The property owner said he would send us either a payment plan or a refund plan within two days," Hales said. "Now all calls are going straight to voicemail."

The situation appears to extend beyond just venue payments. According to Hales, many vendors contracted for upcoming weddings at the venue were never paid for their services.

"No one knows where the money is going or what's happening," Hales said.

Public records reveal this isn't Lottmann's first brush with financial controversy. His company, Veretta Group, which manages rental properties throughout Charlotte, has faced multiple lawsuits, including allegations of investment fraud.

"We put our trust in a man who we shouldn't have trusted," Hales said.

Despite the setback, Hales and his fiancé remain determined to proceed with their wedding plans.

"We're trying our best to still be able to put something together by Memorial weekend," Hales said. "We have to keep our heads high; that's our only option."

Lottmann did not respond to requests for comment.

If you'd like to assist Hales as they work to plan another wedding click here.

The ‘Champagne Manor’ closed their doors just days after the New Year started

MONROE, N.C. (WBTV) - Dozens of couples eagerly planning their dream weddings at the Champagne Manor in Monroe have been forced to start over after the venue abruptly announced its closure.

Those who had weddings booked there have only been told that the venue closed after financial issues and that a refund of their money is in the works.

The Champagne Manor, known for its “distinguished European style” and picturesque grounds, has been a popular wedding destination.

Couples like Clara Vengoechea and her fiancé, Will Adams, were captivated by its charm. They booked the venue more than a year ago, aiming for a stress-free, long engagement. However, their plans unraveled last week when they received a late-night email from the venue’s owner, Jason Lottman.

“He wasn’t home when I read it,” Vengoechea said about her fiancé. “He walked through the door like, right after I read it. And I was like, ‘we’re not getting married.’…I was mostly just in shock.”

In the email, Lottman explained that financial struggles led to the foreclosure of the property earlier this year, forcing him to close the venue and cancel all weddings.

For Clara and Will, who had invested over $30,000 into their May wedding, the news was devastating.

“It really sucks because our parents helped us a lot to pay for this wedding,” Clara shared. “I know my mom worked so hard to be able to save that money. It’s something that she’s been saving for and it sucks.”

The couple is not alone.

Other affected couples have formed a network, sharing stories of canceled weddings and lost deposits. Many are now considering legal action to recover their funds. Court documents reveal that Lottman and his company have faced multiple lawsuits in recent years, including allegations of breach of contract.

Vengoechea and Adams say that in hindsight, there were red flags. According to them, Lottman had made many promises that he never delivered on.

For instance, when they booked the venue – Lottman promised them that by the time their wedding happened, there would be new cabins built on property to house guests and a new ballroom for the reception. Neither of those promises ever happened.

“We kind of saw a lot of the red flags and things after we had, you know, already given him some money,” Adams said. “and then you feel like you’re locked in a little bit.”

For now, the couples are scrambling to find new venues and vendors on short notice. The emotional and financial toll is immense, with many fearing they may never see their money again.

“This is always going to kind of taint the experience,” Vengoechea said. “This shouldn’t have happened.”

Lottman did not respond to a request for comment from WBTV. According to Vengoechea, Adams and other couple impacted, Lottman has not been in touch with any of them since the original email. And while Lottman wrote that he plans to refund the couples, none of them had seen and money sent back yet.

Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.